This Iconic Lincoln That Raced the Carrera Panamericana Is up for Auction
Key takeaways
- Five Lincolns raced in the final of Mexico's most gruelling road races.
- In the 1960s, they carried U.S. presidents, in the 1970s they were as long as fashionable lapels were wide, and from then on they've always been big and luxurious, not so much fast.
- Held between 1950 and 1954, La Carrera Panamericana was a roughly 2000-mile race that ran from Mexico's northern border near Texas to its southern one near Guatemala.
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
Five Lincolns raced in the final of Mexico's most gruelling road races. One won. This is the only example left.
Bonhams This 1954 Lincoln Capri Coupe is an artifact from a time when Lincoln entered and won races.Racing at the 2000-mile Carrera Panamericana, this big coupe took on Ferraris and Porsches.Of the five cars that raced, this is the only one left, and it'll cross the Bonhams' auction block on Saturday, June 13.Despite Charlie Ryan's 1955 rock 'n' roll hit Hot Rod Lincoln, a Lincoln is probably not the first thing you think of when it comes to endurance racing. In the 1960s, they carried U.S. presidents, in the 1970s they were as long as fashionable lapels were wide, and from then on they've always been big and luxurious, not so much fast. In the 1950s, however, Lincolns ruled Mexico's deadliest race.
Held between 1950 and 1954, La Carrera Panamericana was a roughly 2000-mile race that ran from Mexico's northern border near Texas to its southern one near Guatemala. It was a prestigious event, to the point that when the little Porsche 550 won its class, Porsche ended up calling its fastest cars "Carrera." It's why the 911 Carrera exists today.